We the People Wiki
'Welcome' The concept of voting has faded significantly among citizens in the great state of Utah. A major contributor to this phenomenon is the failure by many to become informed on the issues and the part that they play in solving them. Statistical numbers show that in 1980, 66% of Utah's Voter Eligible Population (VEP) turned out to cast their vote because they understood that their vote mattered. Brown, A. (2012, November 6). Retrieved from http://utahdatapoints.com/2012/11/no-utah-will-not-have-80-turnout/ In today's civic world, the rising generation is showing an apathy towards their civic responsibility. Along with many other people who have become dissallusioned from politics in Utah. Since 2006, Utah has ranked in the bottom 5 nationwide for voter turnout. Brown, A. (2012) 'Voter Registration' Registering to vote is the very important first step in your civic responsibility. It's what allows you to let your name be heard and let the leaders that run our cities, counties, states and country know how you feel about what they are doing and how you want the to effect change for the better. Here are the Top 10 Reasons to Vote in the Next Election: #Local elections are won by a handful of votes. Your vote can make a difference. #You have the power to hold local and state government to a responsible budget, eliminating waste and funding your priorities. #Make no mistake, who we elect into office matters. Local and state government officials live in our communities and make decisions that impact our lives every day. #You don’t have to know everything about every candidate. Register and vote for the candidates who share your opinion on the issue you care about most. #Sometimes we all get sick of politics but it is better to be a part of the effort to make things better, and you can be an important part of that change. #Our families, especially our children, are greatly affected by the choices local and state politicians make. Be their voice, be their vote. #They say the squeaky wheels get the grease. Communities that vote more make a bigger impression on politicians who need those votes, and get more attention. #Something so important shouldn’t be so easy, right? But it is! You can get registered today. What are you waiting for? #The power to make a difference in these local and state elections is really in your hands. And believe it or not, it does make a difference in your life every day. #Join your fellow citizens. Stand up and fight for our jobs, our families, and our future. [ Top ten reasons to vote. (n.d.). Why Register to Vote? Retrieved from http://voterreg.org/why/ ] 'Resources to help you get Registered' http://votesmart.org/education/government101#.U1bRx1zivBc http://voterreg.org https://secure.utah.gov/voterreg/index.html 'Political Party Information' One of the most important things that you need to be as a voter... is an informed voter. Here is a good link to a website that contains the founding documents of our country: http://www.foundingfathers.info/documents/ Another good way to learn about the rights and responsibilities we have a Americans and our civic duties is simply mailing a self addressed envelope to the National Center for Constitutional Studies. They will mail you back a f''ree'' pocket sized edition of the Constitution of the United States. On to political party information. The following sites listed below are a few of the political parties that are recognized here in our great state in alphabetical order: Constitution Party Democratic Party Justice Party Libertarian Party Republican Party 'Candidate Information' At times, when voting, one can't help but feel overwhelmed because of all the offices and candidates. The offices included in the 2014 Utah elections are: Federal House of Representatives (all four seats), State Attorney General, State Senate (various seats), State House of Representatives (all seats), State School Board (various seats) and Judicial Retention (both state and federal). Voting for Judicial Retention works slightly different than the others in the fact that judges are appointed and the people vote a simple yes or no as to if the judges keep their seats or not. Information on future candidates can be very hard to uncover until the election gets closer, however a lot of candidates re-run election after election and their information (political parties, issue stances, voting history, ect.) can be found on http://votesmart.org/officials. 'Election Day Polling Information' Category:Browse